The Germanic concept of the soul.

[Saint Frankenstein]

So I was doing some reading yesterday and it was mentioned that the Germanic peoples viewed the soul as existing in multiple parts. It didn't go into detail, though. I'm trying to understand this.

So how does this work? Does anyone have more information about this? Apparently the different parts go to different realms when the person dies. It was also mentioned that we can experience parts of our soul while alive? I don't understand this. Can someone please explain?

 

[Whiterain]

I believe Norse/Germanics believed in re-incarnation as well. It seems that death & rebirth was widely believed.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

I remember some new agey book on runes claiming the Norse had a nine-part soul model. I don't buy it.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

So I was doing some reading yesterday and it was mentioned that the Germanic peoples viewed the soul as existing in multiple parts. It didn't go into detail, though. I'm trying to understand this.

So how does this work? Does anyone have more information about this? Apparently the different parts go to different realms when the person dies. It was also mentioned that we can experience parts of our soul while alive? I don't understand this. Can someone please explain?

Think of the human soul/spirit as a colonial being, a whole made up of parts that can be separated--maybe like a lichen in which two or more separate entities coexist cooperatively. Or maybe like an ant colony or beehive.

I have no idea if the Germanic (or frankly, any other peoples) really thought of it this way, but it's how I view it. Sort of.

 

[Riverwolf]

I read an article about it once, and thought it quite interesting. I can't say whether or not our ancestors thought of it like that, but that's not really important to me. I'm more of a revivalist than a reconstructionist, especially given the lack of hard information.

 

[Sees]

Here is a pretty decent article Hyge-cræft: Working with the Soul in the Northern Tradition

I'll have to give some of my own thoughts on it when my brain isn't so tired.

Nuts and bolts though, it's the soul being the total being - made up of physical, metaphysical/spiritual, mental, etc. parts and properties. 4, 5, 6, or some say 9. It's very similar in some aspects with more esoteric Chinese, Hindu, and others' traditions. Paganism with mystical and shamanistic practices will hit on similar things others do on the other side of the world I think Mexican peoples and some in South America also had somewhat similar multi-part soul concepts. Some of the myths teach about different parts of the soul using allegory. Some say the makeup of the soul matches the world tree in a way, microcosm or reflection, and 9 is generally a sacred/special number.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

...and here's a model with 17 parts:

Northern Tradition Shamanism: The Soul Map: A Northern-Tradition Shamanic Divination Method

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I'm not used to thinking of the soul in more than one part, so this is kinda new to me. Definitely provides food for thought. I do believe in rebirth, too, and not necessarily only within family lines. Luckily, we all don't have to believe the same things on that matter. None of us really knows, anyway, until we cross over.